Star Wars Reads Day Returns October 5, 2013

Fans of reading and a certain galaxy far, far away have reason to rejoice: Star Wars Reads Day, a day-long celebration of literacy and Jedi, Sith, Wookiees, and all things Star Wars, is returning. The second annual Star Wars Reads Day is to be held this October 5, 2013, and will again feature Star Wars fans, authors, and artists coming together in a nationwide multi-publisher initiative. Participating publishing partners include Abrams, Chronicle Books, Dark Horse, Del Rey, DK, Quirk Books, Random House Audio, Scholastic, Titan Magazines, and Workman. Last year, 30 authors and 1,500 costumed volunteers participated in over 1,200 Star Wars Reads Day events across North America.

“Star Wars Reads Day is the kind of initiative that we at Lucasfilm love to support” says Carol Roeder, Director of Publishing at Lucasfilm. “Reading and Star Wars have gone hand-in-hand since 1976, when the novelization of the original Star Wars movie was released. Over the years, many fans have discovered the joy in reading through Star Wars books, and we hope to continue encouraging more people to read.”

Official Star Wars Reads Day author events are already confirmed at the following locations:

An official Star Wars event kit (free of charge), including reproducible activity sheets and trivia, is available here as a printable PDF in color, black and white, and Spanish.

Stay tuned to StarWars.com for more on Star Wars Reads Day!

SWRD 2013 EVENT FAQ

What is Star Wars Reads Day?
Star Wars Reads Day is an international event that celebrates reading and Star Wars. It was launched in 2012 by Lucasfilm and its publishing partners–Abrams, Chronicle Books, Dark Horse, Del Rey, DK Publishing, Klutz, Random House Audio, Scholastic, and Workman. This year, we’re excited to have Quirk Books participating as well.

How can I hold a Star Wars Reads event at my library/bookstore/school?
In 2012, we had over 1200 events at schools, libraries and bookstores across America. In 2013, we’re changing the rules to make the experience even better.

First, this year you don’t have to sign up! In 2013, any bookstore, library or school around the world can hold a Star Wars Reads Day event. Put the date (Saturday, October 5th) on your calendar and start planning and promoting an out-of-the-world event. (Schools and school libraries are encouraged to hold their events on Friday, October 4th).

As a group, we’ve executed thousands of Star Wars events. The best events are ALWAYS the ones where the organizers get excited–not the ones with the most costumed characters or the biggest budget. The more creative and inspired your event, the more families and fans you’ll attract.

Two months before SWRD, we’ll provide you with a downloadable activity kit with trivia, crafts and event suggestions. The publishers sponsoring the event are also offering free giveaways (while supplies last) to anyone holding a Star Wars Reads Day event. We’ll post details once they’re available on the Star Wars Reads Facebook page. In fact, throughout the next few months, we’ll be offering fun suggestions for store events, updates, press hits, and more on the Star Wars Reads Facebook page and StarWars.com/READS.

Please note that Star Wars Reads Day events must be free of charge for attendees.

Is there a recommended list of books for this year’s Star Wars Reads Day?
There is a recommended list of titles available here–there are adult and children’s titles at a mix of price points. Please work with your sales reps to determine the right quantities for your particular event.

We would really like to have costumed characters at our event. How do I get in touch with my local Star Wars costuming group?
The Star Wars costuming groups are all volunteers who make appearances on behalf of charities across the US–they are not paid performers. You can contact your local costuming group to see if they’re available for your event, but please know that there are only enough volunteers to cover a fraction of the events.

In order to host any costuming group, you must commit to the following:

To have the utmost respect for the volunteers at all times

To have a secure space where volunteers can change and safely leave their belongings

To have a staff member nearby during the entire event helping control the crowd

To offer water and breaks as needed

The Star Wars Reads team will be making a donation on behalf of these groups to thank them for participating in Star Wars Reads Day.

Last year we received an event kit. Will we receive one this year?
No–but that doesn’t mean you won’t have access to great giveaways. This year we’re offering event venues a selection of giveaways from all participating publishers (while supplies last)–this allows each store to pick and choose their preferred giveaways. We’ll also be offering the event kit as a download on StarWars.com/Reads 3 months in advance of the event. This information will be available on the Facebook page. Please check in periodically for updates.

Can we use the official Star Wars Reads Day logo to promote our event?
Of course–please use the logo in any way to help get fans and young readers to your events. You can download the print resolution logo here and the web resolution logo here.

I have a question that isn’t answered here. Is there someone I can contact?
Of course. The best way to reach us is via the Star Wars Reads Facebook page. Send along a message, and someone from the team will get back to you as soon as possible.